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Home - Movies - Sweethearts (2024): Review and Summary

Sweethearts (2024): Review and Summary

While much of what is to be expected is given with “Sweethearts,” at least the gay character, who feels obligatory/formulaic for films like this, is given a much better storyline than expected.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted onDecember 1, 2024 10:24 PMDecember 1, 2024 10:32 PM Hours Updated onDecember 1, 2024 10:32 PM

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.


Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.


  • Plot Summary
    • Character Descriptions
      • Jamie
      • Ben
      • Simon
      • Claire
      • Palmer
    • Other Noteworthy Information
  • Review
    • Audience
    • Highlights
      • Palmer Stole The Show
    • Low Points
      • The Struggle To Understand The Appeal of Simon and Claire Beyond Physical Attraction
    • On The Fence
      • The Will They Or Won't They Of Jamie and Ben
  • What To Check Out Next

Film Length1 Hour 37 Minutes
Release DateNovember 28, 2024
Advisory RatingRated R
Initially Available On/ViaMax
Genre(s)Comedy, Romance, Young Adult
DistributorHBO/Max
DirectorJordan Weiss
WriterDan Brier, Jordan Weiss
Character NameActor
JamieKiernan Shipka
BenNico Hiraga
SimonCharlie Hall
ClaireAva DeMary
PalmerCaleb Hearon

Plot Summary

Jamie and Ben have been best friends since 8th grade and are inseparable. In fact, the only people who may have anything as close as their relationships with them are their respective partners. Jamie has Simon, an athlete who somehow got into Harvard despite lacking the expected academics, and Ben has Claire, who is dramatic and still in high school.

Because three out of four are in college, and Jamie and Ben go to the same school, while everyone else is miles away, they generally only have each other and classes. But as trying to maintain long-distance relationships becomes difficult, both decide to break up with their partners over Thanksgiving and rely heavily on one another for support to get through it.

All the while, the third wheel of their friendship, Palmer, is also returning home to Cranford, Ohio, ready to come out as gay – something most people have long suspected him to be.

Character Descriptions

Jamie

Jamie and Ben wondering if they are meant to be and deciding to kiss
Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) and Ben (Nico Hiraga)

Jamie is a point-blank type of girl dealing with trauma from the last female friend she had, who is Ben’s best friend.

  • The actor is also known for their role in “Totally Killer.”

Ben

Ben and Jamie talking after a rather chaotic evening
Ben (Nico Hiraga) and Jamie (Kiernan Shipka)

Ben is Jamie’s best friend. He lacks boundaries, which leads to him often being used by people. Also, it seems his fear of confrontation is keeping a major secret from Jamie.

  • The actor is also known for their role in “Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between.”

Simon

Simon (Charlie Hall) confirming Palmer moved to France
Simon (Charlie Hall)

Simon is Jamie’s boyfriend who goes to Harvard, is a jock, and is as ignorant as he is cute.

  • The actor is also known for their role in ” Single Drunk Female.”

Claire

Claire performing the national anthem
Claire (Ava DeMary)

Claire is Ben’s girlfriend who, once Palmer graduated, became the most visible person regarding any school performance.

Palmer

Palmer (Caleb Hearon) getting ready for his party
Palmer (Caleb Hearon)

Palmer is Jamie and Ben’s friend, the third wheel of their relationship. He spent most of high school as a theater kid but wasn’t out and proud of his sexuality. However, after spending some time in Europe, he plans to come out in grand fashion and then go back to Paris to try to live the life he expected would make him happy instead of staying in a small town.

Other Noteworthy Information

Where To Watch This:
 
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  • Movie Contains: Cursing, Suggestive Language, Nudity, Sexual Situations (Implied), Drinking, Smoking
  • The distributor is also known for “The Idol: Season 1.”
  • The director is also known for “Dollface.”

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive) | 75/100

Audience

“Sweethearts” is generally aimed at people who like young adult drama, but I think the real selling point could be for queer people who relate to Palmer’s journey, from wanting to come out on your terms to questioning what is life supposed to look like after you come out and is joy only found in a big city?

Highlights

Palmer Stole The Show

Jamie and Ben’s story is something we often see and isn’t all that special. Palmer’s story, on the other hand, doesn’t get the same amount of attention. From the desire to go from being assumed gay to coming out on your own terms to following the stereotypes that the only place you can be gay and happy is in a major city, Palmer has an arc I feel is under-tapped.

This especially feels true as we see him go from the third wheel in Jamie and Ben’s friendship, trying to help them break up with their partners, to him finding a gay community in Ohio and learning he doesn’t need to go far from home to feel like he has found his people.

Palmer’s story is a welcomed surprise in this movie, and while I’m not asking for a spin-off, I wouldn’t mind a short to get an update regarding what’s going on in Palmer’s life.

Low Points

The Struggle To Understand The Appeal of Simon and Claire Beyond Physical Attraction

Jamie and Ben don’t give you an idea of why they are with Simon and Claire beyond them being hot. Jamie doesn’t seem heavily into sports, and while she isn’t the most academic girl out there, she seems more intelligent than Simon, and she has a snark that doesn’t seem to lead to banter when it comes to Simon.

Now, you could submit what she doesn’t get from her relationship with Simon, maybe she gets from Ben, hence how that relationship survived. But I wouldn’t say that’s the case, for the same issue exists when it comes to Ben and Claire. He has been with her almost 3 years, and it is hard to not ask why?

Ben is introverted and a pushover, and Claire is an extrovert who seems like someone Ben wouldn’t approach and would operate in a very different world from him. So, never mind the attraction, there is the question of how they ended up together and if Ben being a pushover and not setting boundaries was the basis of why Claire stuck by him. I get Ben supporting Palmer likely led to an introduction, but how that evolved into a relationship is hard to say. Unless, with the possibility of Ben being her first, and seemingly down to roleplay and more, that is what bonded them?

Either way, nothing about Simon and Claire is made for you to care about how they would feel or even hope they could have a real conversation with their partners about their respective relationships to keep it going.

On The Fence

The Will They Or Won’t They Of Jamie and Ben

Because Jamie and Ben are so close and things are going so bad with their current partners, the idea does come up that maybe they are meant for each other. This feels cliché. It would make sense since there is enough chemistry to believe the two characters could be together, but cliché nonetheless.

Luckily, by the time that idea is explored, not much time is invested, and the result is satisfying.

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Listed Under Categories: Movies, Mixed (Divisive)

Related Tags: Ava DeMary, Caleb Hearon, Charlie Hall, Comedy, Dan Brier, Jordan Weiss, Kiernan Shipka, Max, Nico Hiraga, Rated R, Romance, Young Adult

Amari Allah

Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been writing reviews since 2010, with a focus on dramas and comedies.

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